Alleged N80.2bn Fraud: EFCC detains Yahaya Bello after months of snubbing court

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has held former Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State after about five months of snubbing court in Abuja where he was repeatedly scheduled to be arraigned on N80.2 billion money laundering charges pending against him.

A press statement from Mr Bello’s media team said the former governor was accompanied by “high profile Nigerians” to “honour EFCC’s invitation” at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.

“This decision was made after due consultations with his family, legal team and political allies.

“The former governor, who has great respect for the rule of law and constituted authority, had, all the while, only sought the enforcement of his fundamental rights in order to ensure due process,” the statement signed by the Director, Yahaya Bello Media Office, Ohiare Michael, said Wednesday.

The spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, could not be reached for comment as of the time of filing this report. He did not respond to repeated calls to his telephone on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the development comes exactly a week ahead of the next hearing in Mr Bello’s case that has been stalled by his repeated absence from court since April.

At the last hearing in July, the trial judge, Emeka Nwite, adjourned till 25 September after dismissing a request by Mr Bello’s legal team to order a stay of proceedings.

The EFCC charged Mr Bello with 19 counts of money laundering before the Federal High Court in Abuja after he completed his second and final term as governor in January.

The commission alleged in the charges that the former governor diverted more than N80 billion from the Kogi State Government’s treasury as governor of Kogi State.

However, since filing the charges, the commission has not been able to bring him to court for arraignment.

Since April, the former governor has snubbed six court sessions scheduled for his arraignment, as he intensified legal efforts, including filing legal actions before the trial judge, Kogi State High Court and the Court of Appeal, to stop the trial.

At a point, he wrote the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, to transfer the case to the Lokoja Division of the court. But the Chief Judge rejected the request and asked him to present the request before the trial judge. The trial judge, Emeka Nwite, similarly refused the application.

He was declared wanted after a failed attempt to arrest him at his residence in Abuja in April.

Coming forward to clear his name

The statement by Mr Bello’s media aide tried to explain his continued absence from court since April.

“The case has been before a competent court of jurisdiction, and Alhaji Yahaya Bello had been duly represented by his legal team at every hearing,” the statement said.

The statement added, “It is important for the former Governor to now honour the invitation of the EFCC to clear his name as he has nothing to hide and nothing to fear.

“The former Governor believes firmly in the efforts of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to place Nigeria on the path of sustainable economic development; and supports the fight against corruption in the country.

“It is on record that he was the first Governor of Kogi State to put in place an anti-corruption mechanism to check graft and ensure that the resources of the State work for the people of the State.

“He was accompanied to the EFCC Headquarters by high profile Nigerians.”

The statement expressed “hope that the Commission will be as professional as necessary and respect his fundamental rights as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Court snubbing and legal efforts

He was scheduled to appear on 18 April, a day after the trial court ordered his arrest.

Mr Bello has skipped other court sessions scheduled for his arraignment on 23 April, 10 May, 13 June, 27 June, and 17 July.

In June, the Court of Appeal in Abuja ruled against him in a fundamental rights case, which he held on to as an excuse for staying away from court.

He also unsuccessfully sought the transfer of his trial from the Abuja division of the Federal High Court to the Lokoja division.

On 17 July, the trial judge, Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, also rejected an application by the former governor’s legal team to halt his trial.

In August, the Court of Appeal in Abuja reaffirmed the power of the EFCC to prosecute the former governor.

A three-member bench of the court which sat on the case unanimously dismissed Mr Bello’s appeal against certain decisions of the trial judge. The appeal court threw out the former governor’s preliminary objection to the trial.

Mr Bello challenged the Federal High Court’s decision ordering the service of the charges and proof of evidence on his lead counsel.

However, the Court of Appeal validated the service as ordered by the trial court.

“What is more? Section 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) allows service on the Defendant or his legal practitioner,” Mr Amadi held in the lead court’s lead decision.